


The First Night

by RationalCashew



Series: Christmas Eve and Other Stories [1]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Christmas, F/M, MSR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21728611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RationalCashew/pseuds/RationalCashew
Summary: Scully invites Mulder over for dinner and a Christmas movie. He's concerned by her aggressive music.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Series: Christmas Eve and Other Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566076
Comments: 15
Kudos: 66





	The First Night

**Author's Note:**

> You can place this anywhere you want. I imagine it around season 7, though.

When Mulder arrived at Scully’s apartment, he was shocked by the scene before him. She’d invited him over to watch a Christmas movie. Naturally, he was thinking there’d be some hot chocolate, her fireplace would be lit, cookies. He assumed that he’d be greeted by the sound of the Carpenters wishing him a Merry Christmas.

What he found, however, was Scully furiously scrubbing at her kitchen counter and what was, quite possibly, the most aggressive music he’d ever heard during a holiday season. Things had been tense between them lately, sure, but he didn’t think they were quite _that_ bad; bad enough that she’d invite him over and poison him.

“Oh, hey,” Scully’s voice said, beckoning Mulder from his reverie and escape planning. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Is everything okay?” he blurted in response.

Her brow knitted in confusion. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Um…” he chewed on his lower lip and she arched an eyebrow. “No reason.”

“Mulder…”

“Well, I sort of… What I mean to say is…” He paused. “Scully, this is _really_ angry Christmas music.”

It took her a moment, but then she laughed. Not the mild chuckle that he was used to getting or the snort he got when she found him mildly amusing, but a full-on belly laugh. The kind that was currently rendering her unable to breathe. Her face was red and, if he was being honest, Mulder was more concerned in that moment than he was when he’d walked in the door.

When she finally caught her breath, although still chuckling, she explained, “My brother recommended this to me. Trans-Siberian Orchestra.”

“Well, your brother does seem to be an angry person,” he muttered.

Then, he got the snort. “Not Bill. Charlie.”

“Oh… The fake brother.”

Scully shot him what he assumed was supposed to be a glare, but the amusement in her eyes took away any power it held.

Scully chuckled and said, “You can change it if you want.”

“No, um, this is fine. I just didn’t expect it.” She glanced at him, eyebrow arched, before returning to her cleaning. “I mean, I expected The Carpenters, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby…something like that. Not…this.”

She snorted again. “Well, Charlie’s into them. He gave me another CD, too. I haven’t made it that far.” She glanced at him again and then smirked. “I figured you’d like it, though.” He shot her a questioning look. The smirk turned into a grin. “It’s moody.”

Mulder nodded, fighting back a grin of his own. He had that coming.

He realized, suddenly, that his hands were still holding the bottle of wine that he’d brought. A peace offering, in case he needed it. He still wasn’t sure if he did or not, but he put the wine in the fridge just to be safe.

He caught sight of a plate of cookies and stole one. Scully only smirked as though she’d expected him to do it. Mulder shrugged.

Not long later, they were eating some chicken concoction, still listening to the aggressive music that was, honestly, growing on him, and chatting away about holiday traditions. If he was being honest, Mulder found himself slightly jealous. He’d never admit it, of course, and he really was happy that Scully’s family Christmases were nothing like his own. Where his had been formal and, in a way, impersonal—especially after Sam’s abduction, Scully’s had been filled with laughter, bickering, and what seemed like kind of fun traditions.

Part of Mulder was humbled that, for such a private person, she was choosing to share this with him. Not just the stories, but the experiences: a week of movie watching. It was a part of her past that she was, very literally, showing to him. He refused to take that lightly.

Finally, they were sitting on her couch, warm from the fire in the fireplace. They sipped hot chocolate in a companionable silence and Mulder munched on cookies as they watched _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_.

Mulder chuckled to himself and shook his head.

“What?” She said, softly.

“Nothing.” She eyed him and he fought back more laughter. “Your Christmas stuff is _nothing_ like I expected.”

She grinned an unsure little grin and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Angry music and a mean Santa Claus. Are you trying to tell me something, Scully?”

Scully snorted in amusement. “You do realize that you took me to a haunted house?”

“That was supposed to be romantic!”

“That was _terrifying_.”

He chuckled but kept his mouth shut as she snuggled into his side. Instinctively, he draped an arm around her. A week of Christmas movies with Scully…that could be…well, he wasn’t sure. This was the last thing he’d expected when she’d invited him over. He’d expected The Carpenters and possibly _White Christmas_ or _A Christmas Carol_ or _It’s a Wonderful Life_. He certainly hadn’t expected a creepy version of Rudolph with a mean Santa and aggressive Christmas music.

“So, what do you think, Scully?” he asked softly as she dozed into him.

“Hmm?”

“Do bumbles really bounce?”

She snorted. “It’s definitely an X-File.”

He chuckled and pressed a kiss into her hair. She looked up, meeting his gaze, and he pressed another one to her lips.

A week of this. He could get used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental)" track from their 1996 album, "Christmas Eve and Other Stories." That's what I imagine Mulder walking into.


End file.
